JP2011094644A - Method and device for manufacturing high-pressure gas tank - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a new method for manufacturing a high-pressure gas tank formed with a fiber reinforcement resin layer on an outer periphery of a resin liner, which is useful for maintaining the shape of the high-pressure gas tank. <P>SOLUTION: An intermediate product tank 12 includes the fiber reinforcement resin layer 20 impregnated with epoxy resin before heat curing, on the outer periphery of the liner 10 made of a resin container. In the heat curing of the epoxy resin of the fiber reinforcement resin layer 20, the intermediate product tank 12 is heated for heat-curing the epoxy resin while applying ultrasonic vibration along the axial direction of the liner to the intermediate product tank 12 pivotally supported by a tank pivotally-supporting shaft 112. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a manufacturing method and a manufacturing apparatus for a high-pressure gas tank.

  Conventionally, various techniques have been proposed for manufacturing a high-pressure gas tank. For example, Patent Document 1 described below describes a method for manufacturing a composite high-pressure tank in which a belt-like carbon fiber reinforced plastic material is wound around a plurality of layers on the outer surface of a metal tank as a liner.

  In recent years, vehicles that are driven by combustion energy of fuel gas or electric energy generated by electrochemical reaction of fuel gas have been developed. Fuel gas such as natural gas or hydrogen is stored in the high-pressure gas tank, and the vehicle May be installed. For this reason, weight reduction of a high-pressure gas tank is required, and a resin container is used as a liner for covering with carbon fiber reinforced plastic or glass fiber reinforced plastic (hereinafter collectively referred to as a fiber reinforced resin layer). Use is under consideration.

  In general, such a high-pressure gas tank has a fiber reinforced resin layer impregnated with a thermosetting resin such as an epoxy resin formed on the outer periphery of the liner. When forming such a fiber reinforced resin layer, a fiber impregnated with a thermosetting resin is repeatedly wound around the outer periphery of a resin container to form a fiber reinforced resin layer, and then the thermosetting resin contained in the resin layer is thermally cured. . Thus, a high-pressure gas tank in which the liner of the resin container is covered with the fiber reinforced resin layer is manufactured.

JP 2001-153296 A

  By the way, the thermosetting resin used for forming the above-described fiber reinforced resin layer on the outer periphery of the liner is thermoset after becoming low viscosity due to heat applied during the thermosetting, and this thermosetting occurs. Acts as an adhesive. In the liner, due to the fact that it is made of resin, heat shrinkage occurs during thermosetting. Therefore, a gap is generated between the liner surface and the lowermost layer of the fiber reinforced resin layer, and the thermosetting resin that has entered the gap fixes the liner and the fiber reinforced resin layer. When such liner fixing by the thermosetting resin partially occurs on the outer periphery of the liner, stress concentration tends to occur at the adhesive interface of the partial liner fixing part during the use period of the tank. Since the liner is made of resin for weight reduction and thin, the liner has been feared to be deformed due to the partial stress concentration described above.

  The present invention has been made in order to solve the above-described problems, and provides a new manufacturing method useful for maintaining the shape of a high-pressure gas tank in which a fiber-reinforced resin layer is formed on the outer periphery of a liner through thermosetting of a thermosetting resin. The purpose is to provide.

  In order to achieve at least a part of the above object, the present invention adopts the following configuration.

[Application 1: Manufacturing method of high-pressure gas tank]
A method for manufacturing a high-pressure gas tank, comprising:
Preparing a resin container as a liner;
A fiber reinforced resin layer forming step for forming a fiber reinforced resin layer impregnated with a thermosetting resin on the outer periphery of the liner;
A thermosetting step of supporting the liner on which the fiber reinforced resin layer has been formed, and thermosetting the fiber reinforced resin layer while applying vibration along the liner axial direction to the supported liner. The gist.

  In the manufacturing method of the high-pressure gas tank having the above-described configuration, after forming the fiber reinforced resin layer on the outer periphery of the liner of the resinous container, it is included in the fiber reinforced resin layer while giving vibration along the axial direction of the liner to the supported liner. The thermosetting resin is cured. For this reason, even if a low-viscosity thermosetting resin enters the gap formed between the liner surface and the lowermost layer of the fiber reinforced resin layer before thermosetting, the resin is accompanied by vibration along the liner axial direction. Receiving power, it becomes difficult to stay partially. As a result, the liner fixing by the thermosetting resin that has been thermoset is less likely to occur partially on the outer periphery of the liner, and is almost equalized on the outer periphery of the liner. Therefore, according to the method for manufacturing a high-pressure gas tank having the above-described configuration, it is possible to suppress stress concentration at the bonding interface between the liner and the fiber reinforced resin layer, and to contribute to maintaining the shape of the high-pressure gas tank.

  In order to apply vibration along the liner axial direction to the supported liner, it is convenient to attach a vibration source, for example, an ultrasonic vibration oscillator to the end shaft of the liner.

  The present invention can be configured as an invention of a high-pressure gas tank manufactured by this manufacturing method and a high-pressure gas tank manufacturing apparatus in addition to the above-described configuration as a high-pressure gas tank manufacturing method.

It is explanatory drawing which shows typically the manufacturing process of the high pressure gas tank as one Example of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows typically the mode of the holding | maintenance of the intermediate product tank 12 in the thermosetting furnace 100. FIG.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is an explanatory view schematically showing a manufacturing process of a high-pressure gas tank as an embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the high-pressure gas tank is a high-pressure hydrogen tank that stores high-pressure hydrogen.

  In the tank manufacturing process of the present embodiment, first, a resin container is prepared as a liner 10 as shown in FIG. In this embodiment, a resin container made of a nylon resin is used as the resin container. As the resin container, a resin container made of another resin may be used.

  Next, as shown in FIG.1 (b), the fiber reinforced resin layer 20 is formed in the outer peripheral part of the liner 10 (fiber reinforced resin layer formation process). In this embodiment, as a fiber reinforced resin layer forming step, carbon fibers impregnated with an epoxy resin as a thermosetting resin are repeatedly wound around the outer periphery of a liner by a filament winding method (FW method). A layer is formed (FIG. 1B-1). Thereafter, the glass fiber layer is overlapped on the carbon fiber layer by repeatedly winding the glass fiber impregnated with an epoxy resin as a thermosetting resin by the filament winding method (FW method) around the outer periphery of the carbon fiber layer. It forms (FIG.1 (b-2)). The overlapped carbon fiber layer and glass fiber layer become the fiber reinforced resin layer 20 on the outer peripheral surface of the liner, and the intermediate product tank 12 having the resin layer formed thereon is obtained. Since the glass fiber layer has higher mechanical strength than the carbon fiber layer, the mechanical strength of the high-pressure hydrogen tank can be increased. Instead of the epoxy resin, a thermosetting resin such as a polyester resin or a polyamide resin can be used.

  In the fiber reinforced resin layer forming step described above, the carbon fiber and the glass fiber are overlapped and repeatedly wound around the outer periphery of the liner 10 to form the carbon fiber layer and the glass fiber layer. Excess epoxy resin pops up. This raised epoxy resin is thermally cured at the outermost peripheral portion of the fiber reinforced resin layer through a thermosetting process described later to become a resin thermosetting layer (epoxy resin cured layer). The degree of the resin protrusion is determined by the fiber winding condition by the FW method, for example, the winding speed and the degree of resin impregnation, and is normally assumed to be 1 to 2 mm. With this thickness, the resin thermosetting layer (epoxy resin curing) Layer) will be formed. On the outer peripheral surface side of the liner 10, in the fiber reinforced resin layer forming step shown in FIG. 1B, the carbon fiber layer is almost in close contact with the liner outer peripheral surface in a state of being impregnated with the epoxy resin before thermosetting. In this embodiment, the fiber reinforced resin layer 20 is formed of carbon fibers and glass fibers overlapping with the carbon fibers. However, the fiber reinforced resin layer 20 is formed of carbon fibers, and the fiber reinforced resin layer 20 of glass fibers is formed. It can also be. Alternatively, the fiber reinforced resin layer 20 may be formed of aramid fibers.

  Subsequent to the formation of the fiber reinforced resin layer 20, thermosetting is performed. FIG. 2 is an explanatory view schematically showing how the intermediate product tank 12 is held in the thermosetting furnace 100. In the thermosetting process, a thermosetting furnace 100 shown in FIG. 1C and FIG. 2 is used. The thermosetting furnace 100 includes a tank heat-supporting shaft 112 rotatably supported on a gantry 110 and a long radiating heater 114 above the shaft-supported tank shaft support shaft 112 in the furnace. Therefore, the thermosetting furnace 100 heats the intermediate product tank 12 evenly in the tank axial direction. Further, the thermosetting furnace 100 connects the tank support shaft 112 to the tank rotation mechanism 118 via the chuck 116 at the right end of the tank support shaft 112 in the drawing. The tank rotation mechanism 118 incorporates an ultrasonic vibration oscillator 120, and this oscillator applies ultrasonic vibration along the shaft axis direction from the right end surface of the shaft to the tank shaft 112. For this reason, the intermediate product tank 12 set in the thermosetting furnace 100 through the mounting of the tank shaft 112 is moved along the liner shaft direction through the tank shaft 112 as shown by an arrow A in the figure. It rotates around the liner axis while vibrating ultrasonically.

  In the thermosetting process using the thermosetting furnace 100 described above, the tank shaft 112 is attached to the intermediate product tank 12 on which the resin layer has been formed prior to carrying into the thermosetting furnace 100. The tank pivot shaft 112 is inserted into the caps 14 at both ends of the intermediate product tank 12 and is pivotally supported by the gantry 110 with the shaft extending from both ends of the tank. After the intermediate product tank 12 is pivotally supported in this way, the thermosetting furnace 100 applies the ultrasonic vibration in the axial direction to the intermediate product tank 12 via the tank pivot shaft 112 by the ultrasonic vibration oscillator 120, and the tank. The rotation imparting via the tank shaft 112 by the rotation mechanism 118 and the heat radiation by the heat radiating heater 114 are performed in parallel. For this reason, the intermediate product tank 12 receives heat radiation while rotating while ultrasonically vibrating along the liner axial direction. Due to this heat radiation, the liner 10 constituting the intermediate product tank 12 is made of resin, and thus heat shrinks, and the epoxy resin of the fiber reinforced resin layer 20 is thermoset after becoming low viscosity. By passing through cooling curing after the thermosetting of the fiber reinforced resin layer 20, the high pressure hydrogen tank 30 having the fiber reinforced resin layer 20 that is thermoset by impregnating the outer periphery of the liner 10 with an epoxy resin is obtained.

  As described above, in the manufacturing method of the present embodiment, when the epoxy resin of the fiber reinforced resin layer 20 is thermally cured, not only is the heat dissipated while rotating the intermediate product tank 12, but also the heat radiation for heat curing. In addition, ultrasonic vibration along the liner axial direction is applied to the intermediate product tank 12. Therefore, there are the following advantages.

  The epoxy resin is formed on the fibers of each layer of the fiber reinforced resin layer 20 in which the fiber winding is layered on the outer peripheral surface of the liner 10 as schematically shown in FIG. In addition to being impregnated and soaked in the respective layers, since it has a low viscosity, it also enters a gap formed between the outer peripheral surface of the thermally contracted liner 10 and the lowermost layer of the fiber reinforced resin layer 20. These epoxy resins receive heat from the heat radiating heater 114 and are cured through low viscosity. However, while the epoxy resin is in a low viscosity state, ultrasonic waves along the liner axial direction are also used during heat curing. Subject to vibrational forces. For this reason, even if the epoxy resin having low viscosity before thermosetting enters the gap between the outer peripheral surface of the heat-shrinkable liner 10 and the lowermost layer of the fiber reinforced resin layer 20, the epoxy resin should remain partially in the gap. Rather, it will spread along the outer peripheral surface of the liner 10. For this reason, the fixing between the liner 10 and the fiber reinforced resin layer 20 by the thermosetting epoxy resin is difficult to occur partially at the outer periphery of the liner, and is almost equalized at the outer periphery of the liner. As a result, according to the high pressure gas tank manufacturing method of the present embodiment, stress concentration at the bonding interface between the liner 10 and the fiber reinforced resin layer 20 can be suppressed, and the shape of the high pressure hydrogen tank 30 can be maintained with high effectiveness.

  Further, in this embodiment, when applying vibration along the liner axial direction to the intermediate product tank 12, an ultrasonic vibration oscillator 120 is attached to the end of the tank shaft 112, and the oscillator The sonic vibration is merely propagated to the intermediate product tank 12 via the tank pivot shaft 112. For this reason, vibration along the liner axial direction can be easily and reliably applied to the intermediate product tank 12, which is simple.

  Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to such embodiments, and can be implemented in various modes without departing from the scope of the present invention. For example, the vibration along the liner axial direction applied to the intermediate product tank 12 is caused by the ultrasonic vibration oscillator 120 attached to the end of the tank pivot shaft 112. It is also possible to mount a piston device that reciprocates on the part.

  Further, in the fiber reinforced resin layer forming step (FIG. 1B) in the manufacturing process of the high-pressure hydrogen tank 30, the carbon fiber and the glass fiber are repeatedly wound around the liner 10 by the filament winding method to form the fiber reinforced resin layer 20. Although formed, the present invention is not limited to this. In this fiber reinforced resin layer forming step, for example, instead of fibers (threads) impregnated with a thermosetting resin such as an epoxy resin, a woven fabric impregnated with a thermosetting resin such as an epoxy resin is used as the outer periphery of the liner 10. You may make it wrap around and wind.

  In the said Example, although the epoxy resin was used as a thermosetting resin, it is good also as what uses another thermosetting resin.

  In the above embodiment, the high-pressure gas tank is the high-pressure hydrogen tank 30, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a high-pressure gas tank that stores other high-pressure gas such as natural gas may be used.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Liner 12 ... Intermediate product tank 14 ... Base 20 ... Fiber reinforced resin layer 30 ... High pressure hydrogen tank 100 ... Thermosetting furnace 110 ... Stand 112 ... Tank support shaft 114 ... Radiation heater 116 ... Chuck 118 ... Tank rotation mechanism 120 ... Ultrasonic vibration oscillator

Claims (2)

A method for manufacturing a high-pressure gas tank, comprising:
Preparing a resin container as a liner;
A fiber reinforced resin layer forming step for forming a fiber reinforced resin layer impregnated with a thermosetting resin on the outer periphery of the liner;
A high pressure gas tank comprising: a thermosetting step of supporting the liner on which the fiber reinforced resin layer has been formed, and thermosetting the fiber reinforced resin layer while applying vibration along the axial direction of the liner to the supported liner. Manufacturing method. An apparatus used for manufacturing a high-pressure gas tank having a fiber reinforced resin layer that is thermoset by impregnating a thermosetting resin on the outer periphery of the liner with a resin container as a liner,
Liner support means for applying vibration along the axial direction of the liner to the supported liner after supporting the liner on which the fiber-reinforced resin layer before thermosetting is formed on the outer periphery;
An apparatus for manufacturing a high-pressure gas tank, comprising: a thermosetting unit that heats the liner supported by the liner shaft supporting unit to thermally cure the fiber reinforced resin layer.

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